For the 2019-2020 school year, Rochester Community Schools has earned the distinction for the third time. For the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Rochester Community Schools was one of 150 school districts in the United States and Canada to receive the award. Rochester School District is located in Thurston County, approximately 20 miles south of Olympia, right off Interstate 5. The school district is run by a board of education that sets school policy and approves school spending. Our economy is fueled by agriculture, logging, public service, and industry in nearby communities. The board hires a superintendent under contract to carry out its policies. Rochester is a beautiful country, bedroom community with tremendous recreational, cultural, and social activities readily available within the local and surrounding areas. There were only three other districts in the State of Michigan.